Whereas, the failure to distribute land prevented newly freed blacks from achieving true autonomy and made their civil and political rights all but meaningless; and
Whereas, conditions comparable to "economic depression" continue for millions of African Americans in communities where unemployment often exceeds 50%; and
Whereas, unabated narcotics trafficking and gang killings as a result of these economic realities can be traced to the broken promise--that each slave would receive "40 acres, $50, and a mule"; and
Whereas, the economic gains that were temporarily experienced by the black middle class following the passage of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 and President Lyndon B. Johnson's Executive Order 11246 have been seriously eroded by the failure to enforce the same and the Supreme Court's attack, and the U.S. House of Representatives' attack on Affirmative Action; and
Whereas, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and conservative scholar Dr. Shelby Steels, have both contended that the danger facing Civil Rights in America is not the absence of law, but failure to enforce existing laws; and
Whereas, January 5, 1993, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D. Mich.) introduced H.R. 40 to the House of Representatives calling for the establishment of the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans, "acknowledging the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery in the United States from 1619 to the present day," for the purpose of submitting a report to Congress for further action and consideration with respect to slavery's effects on African American lives, economics, and politics; and
Whereas, the Northern Illinois Annual Conference voted June 8, 1991, to refer to the General Conference Delegation a petition similar to this one; and
Whereas, no report of any action or attempt to consider and present this petition to the General Conference was ever made to the Northern Illinois Annual Conference or to Chicago BMCR (the then sponsor of this petition);
Therefore, be it resolved:
1) that we support the discussion and study of reparation for African Americans;
2) that we petition President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and the United States House of Representatives to support the passage and signing of H.R. 40;
3) that the General commission on Religion and Race, and the General Board of Church and Society develop a strategy for interpreting and promoting the issue of economic reparations for African Americans in The United Methodist Church;
4) and that a written copy of this petition be delivered to Congressman John Conyers, Jr., House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the President, Vice President, and Congressional Representatives within the bounds of the Northern Illinois Conference.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 20728-IC-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference